Prologue

I had to run.

I wasn’t so sure about why I was running off anymore. I had a gut feeling that I should never quit. It didn’t matter how exhausted I was to the point that my feet bled. Or how hungry I was which made my stomach howl as if it were home to an evil beast.

The only rule was that I should not stop, and if I did, it should be for a limited time as possible. Only when it was dark, and I was somewhere safe, such as the top of a tree or a cave, was I allowed to stop running. I was only doing it because running across the forest after the sunset was impossible. I could also plug in a town and try to stock up on food, but that didn’t always work out because I didn’t have ample money to buy it so I ended up stealing most of the time.

I had to hold out for as long as I could to avoid being caught.

Who was going to be the one to catch me? I had no idea.

I had been on the run for so long that I had forgotten what had been worrying me. However, when I let my guard down, something in me cried out for me to keep going. My skin prickled as I sensed the approach of danger. The alarms continued to echo until I had covered the farthest distance possible and felt safe again.

I couldn’t allow myself to be hamstrung by fear for even a second. Everything was on the line; my life was on the line.

I was about to tumble across the woodland ground when my foot tripped on a fallen limb.

When darkness knocked over, it was challenging to keep jogging, but I still hadn’t located a safe place to stay the night. I have to be careful at all times. I was holding my eyes safe from the nefarious branches. Also, keep an eye out for any forest predators that may appear.

I noticed a fire out in the distance. The jungle seemed dreadful, too dark and ominous. When I was a child, I had always enjoyed horror stories until I had to live one. I had no memory of my life before this, but one thing was clear: darkness was my adversary, and I had to seek safety at night.

I didn’t know how long it had been since my giant escape had begun, but I did see that they had been on my tails until recently. I would occasionally remain in a town where I felt safe, free of persecutors and dangers, and under the protection of a good soul. It wasn’t typical, but it was always preferable to being cold and dimly lit by moonlight.

I needed to take a break; my weak legs couldn’t take it anymore. I was terrified, but I didn’t want to give up. I followed the fire route until I reached a large village. I felt relieved because it appeared to be a welcoming environment.

All of the people in the area immediately turned their gaze to me. Of course, that was unusual, but I didn’t have time to think about it since my legs suddenly gave out, and I found myself in complete darkness.

—

“Sir, it appears that she is waking up.” I heard but did not open my eyes.

My skull pounded, throbbed, and screamed for help. I didn’t bother trying to stand up because all of my muscles ached. I needed to pause a few moments to rest before continuing on my journey.

I deserved some time off.

“You don’t need to tell me. I think I can figure it out on my own,” a man cynically said. Some soft slaps on my cheeks thoroughly awakened me.

I reluctantly opened my eyes only to be met face to face with the entrance of a guy. He appeared to be in his early twenties, but he had a powerful presence. His tone was obnoxious, but his eyes glowed with compassion and kindness. His eyes were as green as a meadow on a sunny day, and his hair was dark brown. A gray-haired lady stood behind him with a pleasant smile on her face.

“How did I get here?” That was the first question I had.

“You’re in Laiken, which is a long way from the city.”

“Layken?”

I didn’t know where it was. I wasn’t feeling good, and my mind was racing. But I need to get out of there as quickly as possible. They instilled faith in me by letting me stay here, but I had no idea how long I would be out of the game. They could catch up to me if I were careless.

The last thing I wanted was to be apprehended.

So, with the help of my courage, I got out of that bed. I stayed in one of the cottages, which was pretty snug and had a rustic character. It appeared to be like some hospital.

“Where do you think you’re going?” that man inquired. He appeared to be substantial but not the same as the fat man from the bakery in the previous town; he was more expansive and had larger muscles.

He didn’t make me feel safe, even though I wasn’t terrified of him. He just appeared respectable and robust, but I could sense the warmth beneath his stern demeanor.

“Thank you for your hospitality,” I whispered, remembering that I had to be polite.

“I apologize for the inconvenience.”

He sneered. “How did you get yourself here? Are you on your own?”

“I’m not sure,” I said, looking down. He shouldn’t make me look weak; that man commanded a lot of respect for some reason.

“How do you think you don’t know? You may appear to be a girl, but someone must have sent you.”

“Father,” a child’s voice called from the door.

Curious, I switched my glance to him. I didn’t have much interaction with other kids, but I was fascinated by him. Maybe it was because of his eyes. It was the first time I’d ever seen two-colored eyes in this life. One was sky blue, while the other was more akin to a meadow.

He was about ten years old, with a slim body and a height greater than mine. With his brown hair, he was a carbon copy of his father.

He had an odd personality. While his father frightened me, the kid at the door put me at ease. As he approached me, I got the impression that he was calming me down. It seemed as if as long as he was around, I was always safe.

“The girl appears to be terrified. She doesn’t appear to be sent here by anyone.”

“I told you not to meddle with the affairs of the grown-ups.”

“However, this is not an issue for adults,” he argued. I admired how he spoke to his father. He is a dominant young man.

I interjected when I realized I had been left out of the conversation.

“Sir. I’m not attempting to annoy you with my presence. You can dismiss me at any time.”

My voice trembled, and my words were a mild stammer, yet the guy and the kid both understood me. Anyway, I had to keep going because staying in one spot was against the rules.

The kid surprised both his father and me when he responded.

“No. You cannot make her leave alone without an adult in charge because she is only a child.”

“Do you have a guardian?” his father inquired hesitantly, as though he felt compelled to ask about this in his son’s presence.

I shook my head, tears welling up in my eyes.

I’d never had someone before. I’ve been running alone through the woods since I first became conscious of myself. I didn’t know my purpose, but I was confident that I shouldn’t give up. I didn’t know what and why I was fleeing, but I did know that if they got me, I’d be lost.

And I was fed up with it.

I yearned for a family, dreamed of wanting to cuddle up by the fire with a loved one and bask in the comfort of a warm home. I desired it in the way that essential things are expected: with my heart and soul.

“That’s great. Then it’s settled. Now you’ll stay with us,” he decided, a sly grin on his face. The guy barely said anything under his breath, but he didn’t seem to object to his son’s decision.

Do I want to stick with them? No. I shouldn’t have stayed. I needed to get away. I couldn’t risk it, no matter how much I wanted to stay.

No matter how hard they tried, they shouldn’t have persuaded me.

It was as if my instincts screamed at me to stay, to stay safe.

At least, that’s what I wanted to believe.

To my surprise, the man spoke.

“Don’t worry. There will be no harm done to you here. You’ll be fine.”

I was convinced. I’m not sure what made me do it, but his words inspired me. Maybe, just maybe, I won’t have to flee anymore.